Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38086600›Full record

Observational studyBMJ open2023

Perioperative change trajectories and predictors of swallowing function and swallowing-related quality of life in patients with oral cancer: a longitudinal observational study.

Meijun Ou, Lihui Zhu, Hong Chen, Guifen Wang, Furong Chen, Zhirui Xiao

Open access · goldAbstract readObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in BMJ open, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.8field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. "When symptoms interact and change": longitudinal network analysis of dynamic symptom changes in oral cancer patients.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Meijun OuDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital/The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.ORCID 0000-0001-8132-8136
Lihui ZhuHunan Cancer Hospital/The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China 877845375@qq.com.
Hong ChenDepartment of Head and Neck Surgery, Hunan Cancer Hospital/The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Guifen WangThe Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Furong ChenSchool of Nursing, University of South China, Hengyang, China.ORCID 0000-0003-3722-246X
Zhirui XiaoSchool of Nursing, University of South China, Hengyang, China.
Central South University · CNUniversity of South China · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo determine change trajectories and predictors of swallowing function and swallowing-related quality of life (QoL) in perioperative patients with oral cancer.

designLongitudinal observational study.

settingA tertiary cancer hospital in Hunan Province, China.

participantsPatients with oral cancer scheduled for surgery were recruited using convenience sampling. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcomes were swallowing function and swallowing-related QoL. The secondary outcomes were the predictors of the swallowing function and swallowing-related QoL.

methodsThe participants completed the sociodemographic and clinical data questionnaire, Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 and MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory before surgery, 7 days after operation and 1 month after operation. Data were analysed using t-test, analysis of variance and generalised linear models.

resultsAmong 138 participants who completed all the three surveys, 41 (29.71%) had moderate to severe dysphagia before surgery. Swallowing function and swallowing-related QoL changed over time, showing the trend of decline first and then increase. Preoperative swallowing function and swallowing-related QoL were affected by sex, lymphocyte level, preoperative nutritional risk and primary tumour site. At 7 days postoperatively, tracheotomy affected swallowing function. At 1 month postoperatively, age and marital status influenced swallowing function, whereas age, type of job and preoperative nutritional risk influenced swallowing-related QoL.

conclusionsOur study demonstrates that perioperative patients with oral cancer generally faced swallowing disorders, especially in the acute phase after surgery. Healthcare providers should pay attention to the swallowing function of perioperative patients with oral cancer, especially those with preoperative nutritional risk, tongue tumour, tracheotomy, age <60 years, and no spouse and the employed patients, and provide available interventions, such as swallowing and nutritional therapy, as early as possible to improve their swallowing function. Meanwhile, doctors should recommend the most evidence-based treatment options, such as reconstruction or not, preoperative chemotherapy or not, to patients.

Indexed as

Deglutition DisordersMouth NeoplasmsTongue NeoplasmsDeglutitionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQuality of Lifenursing carenutritionoral & maxillofacial surgeryquality of life

Identifiers

PMID38086600
PMCPMC10729256
OpenAlexW4389626713

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.